Method of preparing molds for the electro-deposition of metals



(NQ Model.)

L..H.ROGERS. v METHOD OF PREPARING MOLDS FOR THE ELECTED DEPOSITION 0P METALS. No. 340,460. v Patented Apr. 20, 1886;

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Nv PETERS. Pholo'mhngmphnr. Waihingwn. D C,

WITNESSES.-

UNITE STATES PATENT Fries.

METHOD OF PREPARING MOLDS FOR THE ELECTRO-DEPOSITION 0F METALS.

srncrrrcarron forming part of Letters Patent m. 340,460, dated April 20, 1886.

Y Application filed Mareli8,188fi. Serial 110.104.4135. (N0 model.)

To aZ Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS H. Roonns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Method of Preparing Molds for the Electro-Deposition of Metals; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which. it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the ac companying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Figure 1 shows a vertical section of the apparatus employed; Fi 2, a plan of. the same.

In the manufacture of metallic vessels or facs miles in whole or in part by the electro-depo-. sition of the metal of which the vessels or cast is composed a form is first prepared, usually of the exact size of the article which it is intended to form by the deposit upon said form of the metal preferred. Copper, for instance, serving as a useful agent and entering into the class of useful wares, has been commonly used, while other known metals are utilized in manufacture of less costly or more expensive articles, as the case may be, of articles for ornamental and domestic use.

In processes heretofore known of manufacturing the cast of the desired article a form of wood, clay, wax, or other material has been made, the surface upon whichthe electro-deposit is made of the desired metal having been first rendered conductive by means of black-lead or equivalent substances.

In my process I make the form A approximately of the shape and less in size than the article to be reproduced, and upon said form I placean auxiliary form, a, which is obtained by immersing the form A in melted wax or equivalent solution, and repeat the immersion until the auxiliary form is of the exact size of the article which it is desired to reproduce by eleetro-deposition of the metal. Thus it will be seen that various sizes of vessels, casts, &e., may be made without necessitating the immediate service of but one form, A, which is always rigid, and can be made large enough to sustain the weight of a bath-tub in the formation ofv that particular article. The auxiliary form-a is then made of sufficient thickness upon the form A to bear reduction to the requi site degree, and is increased in size. by the repeated immersion described.

In carrying out my method of obtaining the cast upon the auxiliary form a, I have discovered that air-bubbles are formed in the process of immersing the form Ain the melted wax and in the auxiliary form a, which injures the cast and prevents the formation of a smooth clear surface of wax or the perfect auxiliary for a, which I obviate as follows: The form A is immersed in the melted wax or its equivalent until the desired thickness of the auxiliary form a is obtained. I then make a female form, 13, of the exact proportions of the male or auxiliary form a, and to receive said auxiliary form a or counterpart.

To more fully illustrate my methods, I construct a bed-plate, E, of suitable dimensions. and mount thereon the upright standards 1) D, which are placed on'said bed-plate in opposite relations to each other, and as far apart as is necessary to receive the chamber 0 between said standards. A horizontal bar is then attached to and extends from the top of one standard to the top of an opposite stand ard, and may be formed with said standards in one piece. I then make a reservoir, 0, (shown in the drawings cyli1 1drieal,) to extend from the inner side of one to the inner side of an opposite standard, and with a top, 0, sides 0' c,

and bottom 0', the depth of the reservoir be ing sufficient to receive a female form, B, as hereinafter described, and permit a spray of water to be ejected over the said form. In the bottom 0 of the reservoir I make an opening of the size and extent which will admit of the reception of the female form B, which, for instance,is shown in the drawings in the form of a reflector. The female form 13 in the construction of a reflector is made in the form of a parabola, the inner surface of which I make smooth, preferably polished. An opening is then made through the bottom 0", surrounding the opening I make from beneath the rabbet 0. Upon the lower end of the form B, I cast the flanges b, which extend outwardly at right angles therefrom, and in length and thickness equal to the depth and width of the rabbet e in the bottom 6" of the reservoir. The form Bis then placed in the opening formed in the bottom of the reservoir, and the flanges carried into the rabbet c in the bottom of the reservoir. I then make screw-threaded perforations through the flanges upon the form B and through the portions of the bottom 0 which are provided with the rabbet c and insert a screw-bolt in said perforationpvhich holds the female form in place. The reservoir 0 is then water-tight, and through the opposite sides of said reservoir 0, near the bottom, I make suitable openings, f g, which receive the pipes F G, respectively, pipe F serving to conduct steam from a boiler to the interior of the reservoir, and pipe G the water, which is introduced under pressure. The perforations f g in the sides of the reservoir extend a slight distance, and are then inclined in an upward direction, as at f g, respectively. \Vithi-n the reservoir,and extending from the perforation g, in which it is inserted, I introduce a spray-nozzle, g, by means of which the water is thrown upon the form B. At the bottom of the reservoir 0, on opposite sides, I introduce the outlet-pipes H I, which are provided with the stop cocks h i, respectively. Through the cross-bar D, in a central relation, I n1ake a vertical screw threaded perforation, e, and insert the screw E therein, the lower end of which is provided with a flange, 0. Upon the top of reservoir 0, I attach a perforated capplate, 0, having a recess, 0, of the proper size to admit the flange e on the end of screw E,

beneath said cap-plate, the screw E being passed through the-perforation c in the said cap-plate, the opposite end of the screw E above the cross-bar E having a wheel, E", attached thereto, by means of which screw and wheel the reservoir is raised and lowered.

Upon the inner sides of the standards D D- are the vertical guide-strips d d, and in the sides of the reservoir are made vertical grooves c c, which in the raising and lowering of the reservoir keeps the said reservoir from any unequal side movement. The form A, which receives the auxiliary form a, of wax, I make hollow with a bottom, a. I then perforate the said bottom a and introduce a pipe, (1 through said perforation, whereby I am enabled to inject water or steam into the interior of the form, as found expedient. The form A is then placed in the base E" beneath the form B, a perforation, 0 being made through the base E through which the pipe a is passed. Projecting from the bottom a of form A are flanges (6, upon which the bottom 0 of the reservoir, when lowered, rests and incloses the space between the forms A and B. The form A having been prepared with the wax form a as heretofore described, is then placed beneath the female form B, and the reservoir lowered, which brings the interior iurfaces of the said female form B upon the wax. Steam is then admitted to the interior )f the reservoir through pipe F and through )ipe a'-', attached to the form A, when necesary, the heat serving to melt the wax upon orm A, and pressure applied by screw E to the reservoir compresses the melted wax, and while under pressure the temperature of the form B is reduced gradually by means of cold water admitted through pipe G to the interior of the reservoir, the condensed steam being withdrawn through the pipes H I. In this manner the wax form a is given a firm even I capable of removal should the forms require adaptation necessitating the removal of the entire bottom, in which case the bottom may be attached to the sides of the reservoir by flanges in the same manner as the form is placed in said bottom.

Having fully described my invention, what I now claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The method herein described of preparing forms for the manufacture of metallic vessels or fac-similes in whole or in part, c011- sisting of first making a rigid male form approximating to the form of the article desired to be reproduced, then forming upon the outer surface of said male form an auxiliary form of wax or equivalent substance of the exact size of the article to be reproduced, and mm dering the surface of said auxiliary form conductive by the application of black-lead or its equivalent, and then immersing said form in a metallic solution or bath, in which bath are placed anodes connected electrically with a suitable electro machine or generator.

2. The herein-described method of treating forms for the electro-deposition of metals, consisting, first, of making a male form approximating to the size of the article desired to be manufactured, and then covering said form with an auxiliary form of wax or equivalent substance, and then inclosing said form and the wax formed thereon in a female form of the exact size of the article to be manufactured and subjecting said form to a suitable temperature, for the purpose described.

3. The herein-described method of treating forms for the electro-deposition of metals, consisting of first making a male form approximating the size of the article desired to be manufactured and treating said form to a solution of melted wax or its equivalent, then inserting said form in a female form of the exact size of the article to be manufactured and inclosing the extreme surfaces of said female form in a reservoir subjected to application of the heating and cooling agents, I

as and for the purpose specified.

LEWIS H; ROGERS. \Vitnesses:

FRED. \V. PERKINS, A. G. HOLMES. 

